James Barcia: “The flag is the embodiment, not of sentiment, but of history. It represents the experience made by men and women, the…”

“The flag is the embodiment, not of sentiment, but of history. It represents the experience made by men and women, the experiences of those who do and live under the flag. President Woodrow Wilson knew the real meaning of our flag when he made this statement in 1915, and it is a sentiment that I firmly share. It is precisely why I cosponsored House Joint Resolution 54, proposing an amendment to the Constitution to prohibit the desecration of the flag of the United States, and it is why my colleagues should vote in favor of this resolution. From the hands of Betsy Ross, through the eyes of Francis Scott Key during the bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814, to the raising at Iwo Jima, our flag has represented the hopes and beliefs of generations of Americans. It symbolizes resolve. It symbolizes freedom. It symbolizes democracy. Over the years, we have had people who have violated the spirit expressed by our flag. They have wrongly suggested that the burning of the flag is a matter of freedom of speech. Well, if you can't shout fire unnecessarily and be protected by the freedom of speech, you shouldn't be able to burn our American flag as an expression of speech. Our veterans' groups have seen friends and family fall in the line of duty protecting our flag.”